Notes: A training dive in my new Santi E.motion drysuit, purchased after I moved from Sydney to Seattle. It went pretty well though I need more practise. It was easy to descend and do the dive, but ascending even gradually is where you have to dump air out of the suit and that was a little tricky. I felt like a complete novice. You need your shoulder to be the highest point and it was difficult to get my feet down to make this happen. Also troublesome was the fact that I couldn’t see the dump valve to see if bubbles were coming out. Apparently with time, I should be able to feel and hear the air leaving. Still, getting out of the water (8 degrees C!) and being so warm was amazing. I’ll be doing that again!

Equipment: Usual Halcyon rig with the new suit and BZ400X undergarments. I was perhaps a little underweighted with just 2 5-lb weights in the pockets (in addition to the backplate and integrated 6-lb STA weight). Maybe, 2 or 4 lb more next time in cam-band pockets. Also, bigger thicker socks the next time, and thicker gloves perhaps too.